Toyota US under investigation over potentially defective steering rods

Toyota is again facing more scrutiny on the quality of its products in the US. As reported by Automotive News, the company said yesterday it is now facing steering rod inquires filed to the government by a federal grand jury. This prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in America.

Although it’s unclear at this stage exactly what the potential defect entails, reports have only uncovered that the problem is down to a steering relay rod. Toyota is keeping quiet about what models it potentially affects too but Toyota’s US department, Steve Curtis, has said Toyota will cooperate with the investigations.

Toyota has been under the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transportation Department due to faulty steering rod issues before. In 2004 and 2005, the company had to recall 977,839 Toyota utes and trucks in the United States because of a steering relay rod that was prone to crack.

The company also paid a $16.4 million fine in April, in relation to late defect notification responses regarding accelerator pedal issues.